James m



(No Model.)

DODGE.

GON'VEYER.

Patented N 17 UNiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES M. DODGE, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LINK-BELT ENGINEERINGCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,347, dated November1'7, 1896. Application filed December 15, 1890. Serial No. 374,765. (Nomodel.)

1"0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES M. DODGE, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOonveyers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to what are known aspackage-conveyers.

I have devised the novel features of construction which I hereinafterset forth, and which will be more particularly pointed out in the claimsof this specification.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my improvements relate tounderstand and practice the same, I will now proceed to describe myinvention more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, which formpart of this specification, and in which similar letters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the driving end of a conveyor made inaccordance with my invention, illustrating a form which I prefer forheavy work and which I have thus far successfully adopted. Fig. 2 is apartial top view, on a smaller scale, of a conveyor constructed inaccordance with the general arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa crosssection at'the head-shaft, as on the line a: 00 of Fig. 2, shownon about the same scale as Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a plan view of a cheaperform of the conveyor, as hereinafter mentioned. Fig. 4; is an enlargeddetail section through the sprocket-wheel of Fig. 4, showing a plate onone of the faces of the wheel.

A is the conveyor head-shaft, standing at right angles to the plane inwhich the platforms or carriers run.

B is the driving or head wheel of the conveyer fastened to shaft A.

O is the pitch-chain, to which are rigidly attached platforms or tablesD, which are pro vided with wheels or rollers F F for support on eachside of the chain.

G and G are tracks or rails on which wheels F and F run.

I is a collar fastened rigidly to shaft A.

J and J are loose collars on the same shaft, provided with rods orbraces K and K, con nected with the U-shaped support L, which carriesthe semicircular portion of the rail G, leaving wheel B free to engagewith chain 0 under the carriers.

M are short posts supporting rail G along the straight portions of theconveyor.

N and O are respectively the worm-gear and worm driving the head-shaftA.

The operation of the device will be largely understood from theforegoingdescription and drawings.

Power is transmitted through the wormgearing and headshaft to revolvewheel B, which engages with chain C, causing carriers D to move in onedirection at one side of the conveyer and the opposite direction at theother side. In passing around the wheel the chain moves in a certaincircular path required by the pitch diameter and circumference of thewheel. As the platforms or carriers extend on both sides of the chaintheir center lines projecting radially from the shaft will be crowdedtogether within the circle of the chains and spread apart outside of thecirole. \Vhere the platforms are large, I provide for the inner portionsby cutting away enough material. at the inner corners, as shown at P.

I11 cheaper forms for light work I construct a traveling platform orapron of a series of slats D, Fig. 4, attached to different links asuficient distance apart to admit of their turning the curves withoutbeing cut away at the inner corners, each package being carried by twoor more of the slats, as indicated by dotted lines at Q in Fig. 4. Insuch cases it is desirable that short pitch-chains and relatively largewheels be used, so as to avoid as far as possible any undue crowding ofthe carriers within the line of the chain and too great spread outsideof that line.

WVhile the rails G are supported byposts M (or may rest on plainflooring) in the spaces between the chain-wheels, it will be seen thatspecial provision must be made for the portion which turns thecorner,because the chainwheel must reach the chain by extendingunderneath the inner supports of the platforms. I therefore suspend theU-shaped support L from a position above the wheel and out of the way ofthe working parts, and, to avoid the use of expensive and cumbersomeframe work reaching from the ceiling, I employ collar I, rigidly securedto shaft A, to carry loose collar J, from which are suspended braces orrods K, and arrange to hold the support L at a fixed distance from theshaft by braces K, running to loose collar J, which latter may rest onthe hub of wheel B if desired. This construction requires also that oneof the sup porting devices for the platforms must be above the plane ofthe chain-wheel, and I have shown the wheels or rollers F as beingconnected to the platforms 011 a level with or above the horizontalplanes of the platforms and bearing on the inner rails G, while theother wheels or rollers F extend below the horizontal planes of theplatforms and bear upon the tracks or rails G. In the cheaper forms forlight work I construct the wheel with a plate or flange B, on which theinner end of each platform is supported.

Rollers I" are preferably grooved or flanged to match rail G, in orderto prevent danger of running off in case the platforms receive a lateralpressure, as, for instance, in putting packages on or taking them off. Iemploy various shapes and sizes of rollers to suit the circumstances,and in light work I have used plain wearing-blocks, the essentialfeature in a practical package-conveyer of this description being thatthe platforms shall be well supported on each side of the chain inpassing around the corners as well as throughout the runs between thechain wheels. Furthermore, the cross-pieces or platforms are so arrangedon the chains that they form closelyconnected aprons or practicallycontinuous tables, thereby furnishing a traveling receptacle or tableadapted to receive and support upon any portion of it the articles to beconveyed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a package-conveyer, the combination with chain wheels, of anendless chain, platforms rigidly and permanently secured to said endlesschain forming a closely-connected apron or table in a plane parallel tothe plane of rotation of the chain-wheels, and supporting devicesconnected to the platforms and arranged on each side of the chain,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a package-conveyer, the combination with an endless chain, of aseries of platforms secured to said chain, track-rails for theplatforms, and sprocket-wheels for the chain, the said wheelsbeingprovided with a plate or flange on which the inner ends of theplatforms are supported, substantially as and for the purpose set forth;

3. In a package-conveyer, the combination with chain-wheels, of apitch-chain supported thereon, a series of platforms rigidly andpermanently secured to the chain in a plane parallel to the plane ofrotation of the chainwheels, inner and outer track-rails, and supportingdevices between the platforms and rails, one being below and the otherabove the horizontal planes of the platforms, substantially asdescribed.

4:. In a package-conveyer, the combination with the chain-wl1eels, of achain mounted thereon, a series of platforms connected with the chainand moving in a plane parallel to the plane of the chan-wheels,traclor'ails for the platforms, supporting devices between the platformsand track-rails, a head-shaft connected to one of the chain-wheels, andmeans connected to said shaft for supporting a portion of one of thetrack-rails, substan- 8o J. DUNN, R031. 0. OLIPHANT.

